Public TV Ready to Provide Live Coverage of Ivanishvili’s Press Conference

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 19 Oct.'11 / 21:27

The Georgian Public Broadcaster made a U-turn and said late on Wednesday evening that it would provide live coverage if billionaire-turned-politician Bidzina Ivanishvili holds a press conference.

Last week Ivanishvili said in a statement, that he was ready to summon a press conference in his press office if any of the three major nationwide broadcasters provided live coverage of the event. Initially the Georgian public broadcaster has actually declined to provide live coverage of the press conference, instead inviting Ivanishvili to sit down for an interview with any of its three political talk shows.

“Despite multiple offers made by the Georgian Public Broadcaster, Bidzina Ivanishvili has declined to take part in [the public TV’s] political talk shows and continues relation with journalist selectively,” GPB said in a statement, apparently referring to the fact that Ivanishvili has so far agreed to give an interview to Reuters and on October 19 to a political commentator and a blogger for RFE/RL Georgian service Ia Antadze.

“Despite of this fact, the Public Broadcaster is ready to provide live coverage of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s press conference if such is held and if journalists from all the media outlets have an opportunity to ask him a question,” GPB said, adding that it was still ready to host Ivanishvili on its political talk shows.